The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-10-09
A POPULAR NOVELIST.
The Story Of HIs First Contribution
"a the Atlantic Monthly tnfamil-
isrity with Hanks aud bankers.

w. i. H0wclIs, a. l. Fullerton, |
NJ. Comfy. j. q. a. Ward, |
Wager Swayne and a host OF ambi-
tious young men who have since Mt
tanned distinction were numbered
among her guests. Mr. a. i. Fuller
ton. Howelrs room mate at 1t. Fran
els, sent the first contribution from
the west to the Atlantic Monthly. 1t
was n poem entitled "By the Dead"
II attracted considerable attention. |
and was the subject Of many Il dis
QUESTION among the Struggling AS
pirants that gathered around Mrs.
Jenkcns' table. Fullerton encour-
aged Howells to send q poem to The
Atlantic. He did 20. II was rejected.
lie was greatly depressed by its fail
IRE, which he considered n disgrace.
Some time after, while he was walk
ing with a congcnial friend, the con-
ycrsation turned upon the respective
merits Of FullcrtOn's second effort,
The Birth-Mark, and Platt's
"Morning Street
"Will." cried his companion, ''you
u write a better poem than either
OF Them The face Of the timid rs.
rirant glowed with what was appar-
emily n new thought TO him, but moth
ing moro was said about the matter
until some time had elapsed, when he
laid before his friend n pleasant let
ter from James Russell Lowell in
| closing S2j in payment for "An-
dcnken.'
II don't want the money. What
shall | do with it?n cried the happy
poet
Put it in the bank was his
friends practical advice. Going to
the National Exchange Bank, whore
he had a friend in its president, How
ellis deposited tho practical juice OF
Parnassus without taking y receipt
for the same. Some time passed.
when be again sought his friends
room, apparently with n pcrplcXing
load upon his conscience. Appre-
eating the dilidcncc of his guest,
the friend noticed when llOwclls
arose TO leave that, although they had
talked Of many things, they had
failed to touch the subject which the
poet had most at heart. No sooner
had the door closed upon the retreat,
ing guest, however, than !, suddenly
opened again, revealing the poet,
distressed face.
Say, Jim. when you have money
in the bank how do you get IL out?''
lIowclls was exceedingly sclf-de.
predatory in his youth. He had not
the confidence in himself which his
friends thought his ability war
rantcd. Always n diligcnt. conscieu.
tious student. his ~'Andcnkcn" was
followed by four other poems. which
appeared in the Atlantic In that first
year Of literary succcss He now had
an audience in the company Of Bry.
ant. Longiellow. Whittier. Emerson
and n host Of the ablest writers Of IN,
age. But while qualing OF Castal,
he wrote stories also. OCCASIONAL,
he read than TO Lls companions. buI
they were deficient In plot and Incl
dent. and consequently failed 10 In
terest his auditors. lie did not polisl
these stories, but they held the germs
of what the poets maturcr judgmcn
has nodded into the novclist's art
Subjective and analytical Ia though
and treatment. the ideal and III,
romantic We're e'chowod from ihcs,
early prose efforts. hut. undauntei
10y disparaging criticisms. he workc,
On, biding the time when his M
would lind n hearing. Anolhc
proof Of the efficacy Of Button
genius. llowclls was always y pro
life writer. Not until he wrote IA
life of Abraham Lincoln. In 1860. dil
his field of observation broaden
With the money that this book mel
ted him $3.50 he took a trip dow.
the ST. Lawrence. visiting Monirca
and coming home 10y the way Of 30,
ton. where lac first made the ne
/ SOnal acquaintance of james Russo.
Lowell. then editor 1T the Atlanti
Monthly. who introduced him
James I. Fields aud oliver Wcndr.
, Holmes. His letters To the OH
state Journal describing this trip ~
Incorporated In Their Wcddiu
Journey ~ full of the wine 4,
: youth. these early bits ~ drscriptio
arr the novels freshest charms Ia
"llIc Oi lincoln not only bruugl
: him his first extensive pleasure triI
| hut secured him an honor similar I
that which rewarded the biographici
A., effort NJ Hawthorne
1t is pleasant b. recall his soci.
. life ut the capital Ills ready W
! and brilliant conversational power
made him % welcome visitor ever,
where. Stepping 10 q bookcase. Ii
was wont o. take down a volume ,
Ihackcray nr Dickens. and, hastil
scanning is pages. entertain "A room
ful with the drollcry Of his remark,
, lie cultivated the acquaintance ,
, people Of talent and was pnssionaiel
fond III music. In these social round
was found tho keynote to many ,
his early poems. But il was nj =
: Francis that his youthful mucics m,
!. a happy oopsummation. The boar,
ers frequently gave social hops. an
90 one OF these Informal affairs can
, n beautiful girl She was a strange
in the city, q guest of her aunt
sister Of eN-Presidcnt HAYES. In III
interval Of the dance she hastil
skotched upon her fan a caricatuI
Of q fellow guest. j. q. A. War,
the sculptor Ward was an awl
ward young fellow, aud the carries
turo was 50 clever that Il Occasiono
much mcrrimcnt among his friend.
Howells was attracted lo the IN
stranger by this ludicrous cvidon,
Of her talent Thus In the sculptor
outline was kindlcl the novelist
lame. Shortly after he entered upo
his dutios rs consul to Venice, and
year later Miss Meade joined him !
Paris, where they were married.
His life abroad was fruitful. m
impressions garnered there distil u
aroma through all his writings.
was venetian Life NSSG) th,
brought him his first general rccol
milton rs ~ author-a rccognltiO
that came through the English rath,